One proposed engine misfire detection apparatus for an internal combustion engine is mounted on a hybrid vehicle that is driven with output powers from the engine and a motor generator linked with a crankshaft of the engine (see, for example, Patent Document 1). This prior art engine misfire detection apparatus detects an engine misfire based on a torque correction value during execution of damping control with the motor generator, which corrects a torque command value with the torque correction value for canceling out a torque variation of the engine. The prior art engine misfire detection apparatus detects an engine misfire based on a variation in rotation of the engine during non-execution of the damping control with the motor generator. This arrangement is expected to detect an engine misfire with sufficient accuracy even during execution of the damping control with the motor generator to reduce the variation in rotation of the engine.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open Gazette No. 2001-65402